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Children hurt as 200 football fans fight over disallowed goal at Middlesbrough v Sheffield United

Duncan Geddes

August 13 2017, 6:00am, The Sunday Times

Scuffles began inside the Riverside stadium and spilled into a nearby coach parkCraig Brough/Action Images

Children as young as 10 were injured as 200 football fans brawled in a car park yesterday.

Five people are in custody over clashes which began with a disallowed goal in Middlesbrough’s Championship game at home to Sheffield United. One officer was taken to hospital and more arrests are expected.

Scuffles began in stoppage time when some visiting fans invaded the pitch, thinking their team had equalised only for the goal to be ruled out. The violence continued in the coach park outside the Riverside stadium.

Jason Harwin, assistant chief constable of Cleveland police, said: “We will absolutely not tolerate violence of this nature and we will work to identify the offenders and bring them to justice.